Autumn Eyes
by Jaded Catalyst
Summary: Nat and Rosalina, just another drama-filled, twisted teenage romance waiting to happen. Everyone knows what they want. They know what they want. The only question is, what's stopping them?
1. Intro: Evasion

**Intro: Evasion**

It had always been so easy to make up excuses.

_I'm two years older. She's in high school. I'm not jealous. **We're just friends.**_

Excuses kept them in their safe zones. It was the perfect position to be in. Their excuses allowed them to acknowledge and live their reality while simultaneously pretending it never existed. As long as they had excuses, they could allow themselves to fall foe each other and still deny the obvious truth.

It was perfect, wasn't it?

But they had forgotten that excuses got old and denial was more fragile than the most delicate heart.

Everyone could see it in them. They could tell by the songs that he sand and the constant fumbling of words when she was around. They could tell by the way she shut down at the sight of possible competition or by the subtle blush that her makeup failed to hide every time he passed by. The world wasn't blind, but then again, neither were they.

So why, then, were they holding themselves back?

It was a question that no one could answer but a problem that could easily solve itself. Opportunities were plentiful and easy to come by; it was choosing between them that truly made all the difference.

They both knew what they wanted, and they were both ready to chase after it with all their might. The problem was that they could easily run after it so hard that they would pass right by. It was this risk that held them back. Overshooting a goal could prove to be more devastating than never pursuing it to begin with.

But it was a risk they had to be willing to take.

Their opportunity for happiness was coming fast. The question was whether or not they would be willing to catch it. The time had finally come for them to step away from their comfort zones, stop making foolish little excuses, and embrace their reality because sometimes, all something really needed was to be given a chance.

Perhaps, all that Nat and Rosalina needed was to give themselves a chance.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Naked Brothers Band or any of the characters assosiated with the TV series. Any original characters belong to me.

* * *

_**AN:** Yes I know I missed the official release date. There's no need to rub it in my face . _

_But it's finally here! The long awaited Autumn Eyes is up! You'll soon notice that the structure of the story is a bit different, and the writing might be a bit different, too. I'm experimenting a little, but I promise that it'll all pay off. Enjoy!_

_And for those of you who are wondering, I will be continuing A Time For Goodbyes. I'm going to be updating both. Don't worry._

_As a gift for those who enjoyed Where We Left Off, go to my profile and click the link to read an extended commentary. Yay!_


	2. I: FLOW, Part 1

**I. FLOW, Part 1**

What was the big deal?

They smiled. They joked. They teased. They poked and prodded. They chased. They hugged, and they laughed.

Sure they were a bit on the flirtatious side, but they still couldn't understand why the press had to make such a big deal out of it.

Article after article, page after page, the media was all over Nat and Rosalina's flirtatious friendship. The two were constantly hounded by reporters who were scrutinizing every little detail from the way they looked at each other to the distance they stood apart. They just never got the end of it.

Although Nat and Rosalina had often been told to be more careful when they knew reporters were around, the warning often slipped their minds when they were together. Neither of them was willing to sacrifice their time together simply because the press interpreted every little action as an attempt at romance.

It wasn't their fault that everything they did, said, or thought could be interpreted as flirting. The two shared an obvious chemistry, so it shouldn't have been surprising to see them act the way they did around each other. They were friends, and that was simply what friends did.

Of course, that was disregarding the fact that Nat had an undisputed crush on his best friend. It didn't take a genius to see that one.

She was his love, his only never-ending love. However, he had never been able to find it in himself to tell her that. Even though he had made his feelings painfully obvious by means of rhythm and lyric, he still could not find the courage to tell her up front. Nat would swim oceans, run miles, and move mountains for her, but as soon as she looked him in the eye, he found it difficult to even stay standing.

Lately, however, it seemed as though Nat was getting bolder.

He was able to speak with her without fumbling his words. He had danced with her at prom without becoming weak at the knees. He had even asked her on a date without losing his mind when she said yes. He had gone on the date and lived to tell the tale. He had even held her hand at that date, and to his utter surprise, his heart did not stop at that very instant.

Nat Wolff was becoming bolder, and more confident. He knew that, one day, he would have to tell her how he felt. It wasn't going to be in song or in writing; it was going to be face-to-face.

That day, he knew, would be coming soon. Everything he had ever hoped for and dreamed of would come true on that day. The world could end and he wouldn't have a single regret, as long as he had that one day. Every fiber of his being revolved around that one day.

One day. One moment.

It was all that he needed, he thought, and all that he would ever need.

Until that day, he would have to settle with the way things were. He would have to go along with the ploy that they were nothing more than friends, and he would have to act like he didn't want to be anything more. Even though the world could see right through him, he had to keep his disguise.

One day was all he wanted. One moment was all he needed.

It could come at any time in any place. It could happen right now if he wanted it to. There was only one thing holding him back.

No matter how confident or bold Nat Wolff had become, he would never confess his love for Rosalina until he knew, without a doubt, that she felt the same way about him.


	3. I: FLOW, Part 2

**I. FLOW, Part 2**

It didn't take a genius to figure out how Nat felt about Rosalina. The jury was out, however, on how she felt about him.

Nat had only had eyes for one person, but this wasn't the case for her. Surely there had been times when she took interest in other guys, but it had always ended for the worse. Fortunately for her, Nat was always there for her if she needed a helping hand, a person to talk to, or a shoulder to lean on.

However, it was this unpredictable behavior that made the press coming back for more. They wanted to see what she was going to do next and how Nat would react to it. She hadn't been seen with any other guys lately, and the press was all over that instantly. They claimed that she had settled with Nat and that it was only a matter of time before they made it official.

Such stories made her laugh.

The idea that they were going to make anything official was simply absurd. Since when had they been unofficial to begin with?

Sure, they had shared a few moments when it felt as though they were crossing the line from being just friends to something more, but there had never been any solid evidence to show that Nat and Rosalina were an unofficial couple.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew how he felt. Somewhere else in the back of her mind, she also knew how she felt. Keeping such feelings in the back of her mind, though, had proven to be confusing not only to the press, but to herself as well.

Rosalina was a flirt; it went without question.

She was the type of girl who wanted to have a good time and make the most out of life. She was fast at making friends and always tried to be the life of the party. Her outgoing nature was often interpreted the wrong way, especially by those of the opposite gender. It didn't take much for guys to fall for her, and yet she often doesn't see it coming.

It wasn't her fault that she was beautiful.

It was a bit different with Nat, though. There was a very good reason that no one could come up with a conclusion as to how Rosalina felt about Nat.

She didn't even know that herself. Rosalina was never the type of girl to think these things through. She liked to live in the moment – to go with the flow and follow the tide. All she could be sure of was that she never felt safe when Nat took his eyes off of her. There was a reason that she always got so jealous whenever other girls got near him, even if she didn't know what the reason was.

Rosalina wasn't sure what she wanted, but she knew it didn't matter. No matter how flirtatious or distant she was with him, the end result would always be the same. Nat and Rosalina were standing still. Even after being so close for all these years, it never felt like they were getting any closer. To her, it seemed that Nat would always be too shy to speak up and she could always be unsure of herself.

Rosalina didn't care how much she toyed with his heart and consequently her own; it never seemed to make a difference anyway.


	4. I: FLOW, Part 3

**I. FLOW, Part 3**

They really should have been more careful.

Going on that date seemed harmless at the time, and they were only doing as a favor for Cooper; they just couldn't turn him down. It was a selfless act.

For the most part.

No matter the incentive, however, they didn't consider the bitter consequences of that one innocent date.

The press had a field day over the two. This date, they said, confirmed that Rosalina did indeed like Nat, and that the two were seen holding hands after the movie. Although the press wasn't too far from the truth, they had also said that the two started had started making out in the middle of the movie.

Reading that part of the article made Nat and Rosalina raise their eyebrows at each other. When during the date was that even close to happening?

The accuracy of the article wasn't important, though. What did matter was that it was even published to begin with. Nat and Rosalina were surprisingly calm about the ordeal; it was actually Cooper who became the most concerned about it.

"Alright, you two," he said, bursting in on the couple who was lying in the grass and watching the clouds drift across the perfect summer sky. "We might have to do some damage control on this one. I think what we need to do first is make a public announcement, telling everyone that the article is false. You guys will still have to be careful for a bit while the whole thing dies out, and," he paused. "Are you guys even listening to me?"

"Yeah, we heard you, Cooper," Nat said distantly.

"Well, shouldn't you guys be more worried?"

"About what?"

"Didn't you guys read the article?"

The two sat up, looking somewhat amused by their manager's concern. "Yeah, but we're not really all that worried."

"He's right," Rosalina added, "You know how they're always writing things like that. We've sort of gotten used to it already."

Cooper stared at them dubiously, but he soon relented. "Fine. It's your faces in the paper, not mine." He shrugged and walked off, shaking his head. There was just no arguing with those two.

"Bye, Cooper!" they called out, laughing and falling back on the grass.

"Oh, hey, look at that one," Rosalina said, pointing at a fluffy white cloud. "It looks like an elephant."

"Not really. It looks more like a fat giraffe."

She sat up and looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? It's an elephant."

He sat up and gave her an equally strange look in response. "No, it's a giraffe."

"Elephant."

"Giraffe."

"Elephant."

"You weren't bothered by the article, were you?"

"No," she smiled, not at all thrown off by the sudden change of subject.

"Even after what they said about us kissing?"

"No. Did it bother you?"

"No."

"Good."

They laid back down, resuming their cloud-watching.

"Giraffe."

"Elephant."

"Giraffe."

"Elephant."

They eventually lost track of how long they went on for, simply enjoying the carefree time spent together. It was a good thing Cooper had left, though. With arguments like theirs, there was no way he could have won.

* * *

_**AN:** The more I write, the more I realize how different Autumn Eyes is than all my other stories. The writing's just so different, but I really love it._

_I also hope you guys recognized the sarcasm in the end. If not, well there you go._


	5. I: FLOW, Part 4

**I. FLOW, Part 4**

They always tried to keep things simple, and unsurprisingly, their efforts only served to make things all the more complicated. It was a cruel and bittersweet irony that, like their feelings for each other, they were able to deny to the point where they were barely aware it even existed.

Their lives were ruled by inconsistency, which added both excitement and uncertainty into their already abnormal lives. Fame and fortune came with many twists and turns; such things couldn't be avoided.

But it was their own damn faults that they also had to deal with the consequences of their denial.

They were always on the edge, never trying knowing where they stood with one another. Some days they could poke and jab, nudge and shove, or even hug and feel nothing. It was all in good fun, after all. Then there were those days when every little thing seemed to set off a spark. It could be from anything – a brush of a skin, a passing glance, a possible smile, or even a simple thought.

And the worst part of it all was that they were never on the same page. Whenever Rosalina was in another one of her jokingly flirtatious moods, Nat's mind was in flames. The days when Nat treated her as a friend and nothing more, Rosalina found herself wallowing in disappointment. The two never stood on the same level, and never knew where they would stand on the next day.

It was enough to drive them to the very edges of their sanity, and tonight was no different.

Nat was unfortunate enough to get the short end of the stick today, and he had been trying to avoid Rosalina all evening to avoid the mad rush he got whenever she was around. However, considering that she was staying the night over at his place, this was a nearly impossible task.

The band was preparing to go on their first big tour together, and rehearsals often went overtime. It sometimes got so late that the members simply stayed the night, with Rosalina sleeping in another room, of course.

It was bad enough that Nat had to deal with her incessant flirting all day long but knowing that the only thing that separated him from her was a few walls was almost too much for him to take. Then again, too close was still too far away for him.

It was this romantic conundrum that seemed to haunt them constantly, consuming them little by little until there was nothing left. Yet, they did little to try and stop it. It was an addiction, and like most addictions, it plagued their minds, often robbing them of both sanity and sleep.

But mostly sleep.

It was dark outside, and the Wolff residence was unsurprisingly still. After a long day of rehearsal and quality time, there was no doubt that the band members would be exhausted. Of course, on nights like these, there always had to be at least one exception.

Once again, Nat was robbed of a good night's sleep. Rosalina was far too close for him to remain sane, and so he became restless. His solitary contemplation was shattered by the unexpected arrival the one who was the cause of it all.

Sporting a large t-shirt and loose pajama pants, Rosalina walked smoothly into the kitchen, running a hand through her hair. "What's wrong, Nat? Couldn't sleep?" She sounded surprisingly alert for someone who had just woken up in the dead of night.

Nat paused for a moment. He simply couldn't help but notice how adorable she looked in her pajamas, but he managed to keep from staring. "Nope. What about you? What are you doing up?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Just kind of woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."

"What? Did you have a nightmare or something?" he asked jokingly.

She grinned. "Who are you, my dad?"

Their playful banter was almost becoming too much for Nat, as he was still coping with the fact that the love of his life only a few feet in front of him. Before his head burst in the flames, he decided to end the joke. "I was only asking," he replied, maintaining his light-hearted tone.

Coyly casting her eyes downward, she chuckled. "No. It was nothing really. I just couldn't fall back asleep that's all. What about you?"

"I never fell asleep to begin with."

"Is something bothering you, Nat?" Her eyes shone with genuine concern. She moved closer to him, every step putting Nat in a more and more dangerous position. "I'm here if there's something you want to talk about."

Her hand brushed his shoulder. One would think that this would send Nat over the edge, but to his surprise, he was unaffected by the gesture. Just as quickly and randomly as the fire in his mind had ignited, it went out, leaving him immune and almost indifferent to Rosalina's spell.

The tide had shifted.

His mind no longer at the brink of insanity, Nat was suddenly tired. Kindly brushing Rosalina's delicate hand from his shoulder, he stood up and excused himself. "Don't worry about it, Rosalina. It's nothing. I actually think I'm about ready to sleep now. Thanks though."

"Oh," she said slowly. "Goodnight, then."

"Goodnight."

And with that said, he was gone, leaving Rosalina feeling strangely empty. The hand that Nat had so innocently touched now tingled with an odd fire, and she stood alone in the Wolff's kitchen, staring dumbly at her hand. She was inexplicably disappointed at her conversation with Nat, suddenly wishing it was something more.

It was now her turn to withstand another sleepless night, her mind aimlessly wandering through the uncertainties in her heart.

Such was the price to pay for their inconsistencies. They tried to live their lives one day at a time, going with the flow and following the ever-changing tide hoping that they would one day find their way back to shore. Little did they know how foolish such a bipolar relationship was. The problem with going with the ebb and flow of the tide was that, in the end, they end up exactly where they started.

Nat and Rosalina liked to live their lives one day at a time, and with every passing day, the shore seemed to be getting further away.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

_**"Every flow has its ebb."**_

_-French Proverb_

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

* * *

_**AN**: Woooo. A new chapter! For anyone who read the latest updates of TFG and heard me say "two stories at a time is not for me"... well... I lied. I really wanted to get this chapter up and out. It makes me happy. :D_

_Anyway, I've already said that TFG is completed and simply needs to be revised and typed out. Autumn Eyes is **mostly** finished, but not quite. It also needs to be typed out and revised. On top of that I'm planning on making some changes so that it soooooorta includes things from Season 3. Basically, I'm just talking about Kristina. I like her character, so I'm gonna put her in but the way she comes into the story is going to be different than in the show. I hope it doesn't confuse anyone._

_Also, that quote at the end signifies the end of the the FLOW section of this story. Don't worry, though. There's much much more to come!_

_Enjoy!_


End file.
